Dental chair



Feb. 12, 1929. 7 1,702,175

A. w. SCHRAMM DENTAL CHAIR Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 SheeCg-Sheet l i m W Feb. 12, 1929. 1,102,175

A. W. SCHRAMM DENTAL CHAIR Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 Shams-Sheet 2 Z; 72Z6f7742665f Feb. 12, 19 29.

A. W. SCHRAMM DENTAL CHAIR Filed Feb. 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet Feb. 12, 1929. 1,702,175

A. w. SCHRAMM DENTAL CHAIR Filed Feb 12, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 5f 6 65 52 a 6/ zf f Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADOLPH w. SCHRAMM, or RIVERTON, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TOELECTRO DENTAL MANUFACTURING COMPANY, 012 PHILADELPHIA, PENNBYLVANIA, A. CORPORA- TION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

DENTAL CHAIR.

Application filed February My invention relates to chairs, and it has particular relation to such chairs as are adapted for surgical purposes.

One object of my invention is to provide a chair of the class described which is provided with a self aligning or floating back.

Another object of my invention is to pro- "vide a dental chair, wherein the arms move simultaneously with the back, whereby greater comfort may be afforded to a patient and any tendency for garments to catch in the chair mechanism practically avoided.

A further object of my invention is to provide an improved form of foot-rest which cmbodies a novel operating mechanism for elevating and depressing the movable endportion of said foot-rest.

A still further object of my invention is to provide operating mechanism for the movable end-portion of a foot-rest. whereby the latter may be moved to its raised and lowered positions by successively actuating a foot pedal in one direction only.

These and other objects and applications, as well as details of construction and operation, whereby my invention may be practiced, will appear more fully hereinafter, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is aside elevational view of a dental chair embodying my invention, illustrated in a semi-reclining position:

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing the chair in a full reclining position;

Fig. 3 is a detail sectional view of the head rest locking member;

Fig. 1 a similar view of the lower clamping device:

Figs. 5 a ad 6 are enlarged top-plan and side elevational views of the foot-rest and associated opermfing mechanism Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 6 but showing the movable portion of the foot rest in its elevated position; and

Fig. 8 is a detail elevational view of the locking lever and latch in the position shown in Fig. 7.

In the illustrated form of embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a dental chair comprises a seat 1, side arms 2 and a back structure 3 spaced therefrom. The back structure 3 comprises 12, 1925. Serial 1%. 8,804.

pivotal mounting 3 intermediate the ends thereof on the opposite'sids of the seat 1 These arms may be )rovided with cylindru cal extensions 3, so I: at supporting brackets 2* for the side arm rests 2 may have a pivotal mounting forwardly of the pivotal mounting for the back structure 3. p p

The side arms 2 and the back structure 3 may be moved from the semi-reclining posi' tion shown in Fig. 1 to the full recliningposi tion of Fig. 2 by means of a strut 4,0ne end of which is pivoted to the seat 1 and the other endof which extends through a clamping device 5 mounted on the back structure 3. It will be noted that during this movement, the spaced relation between the arms 2 and the back structure 3 remains unchanged. Thus the usual large space occurring between the end of the arm 2 and the back structure 3 when the latter is in its inclined position is entirely eliminated and with it the attending disadvantages. The clamping device 5, which may be of any well-known design, operates to secure.

A back rest or pad 7, which is designed to be engaged by a patient, is centrally pivoted on arms 8, 8, which are carried by a lower clamping device 9 slidably mounted in dove tail ways or grooves 10 (Fig. 4) formed on the main supporting member 3" of the back structure or framework 3. Such pivotal mounting atl'ords the back pad 7 a full floating movement, so that the back pad 7 is selfaligning or self adjustable, automatically accommodating itself to the back of an occupant ot the chair.

The clamping device 9 embodied in my in A cylindrical wedging member 19 is disposed in the recess 12 and it may be normally actuated into the restricted portion thereof by means of an adjustable spring 21 extending from a lower side 29. So long as the cylindrical member 19 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, the lock or clamping device 9 is secured in position, but when the member 19 is depressed by the latch 16 out of its wedging engagement with the Ways 10, the lock 9 may be readily moved. In order to avoid the necessity of using the latch 16 as a handle, as has been the practice heretoitore, I provide a separate handle attachn'ient 23,

thereby facilitating the release and merc ment of the clamping device 9. Thus, for example, an operator in one movement may substantially simult'uieously actuate the latch 16 in the direction of the handle attachment 528 into it r leasing position and move bodily the de ce as a whole a torce applied to the handle attacln'nent alone. The handle attachment 9.3 is also so positionet directly below the latch 16 as to constitute a shield for the end portion 17 thereof.

The clamping device 9 may be provided with a vertically rn'ojcctinp; portion, 2% (Fig. 1) having on the end i'ln-reoit a shoulder provided with a slot 26 on the tracer side thereof. The slot 26 adapted to receive an end portion 9,? of an arm which extends from the upper end of the pivoted back rest 7 and operates to limit the extent of the floating movement of said back rest.

The projecting; portion 24 may be formed with ways 29 (Fig. for an upper clamping device 81 which may be identical in construc tion with the previously described clamping device 9. The clamping device 81 carries a vertically extending arm 32 (Figs. 1 and which is connected by a locking member 33 to a rod 3 1 carrying the usual head rest 35. The ends of the rods 82 and 34 terminate in balls 36 and 37., respectively, which are disposed in the correspondingends of a tubular easing); The balls 86 and 37 may be locked 00. in any desired position by clamping members and 11, respectively, the latter being interconnected by tulcrumed members 42, 42 the end portions of which are adapted to be actuated by a latch -13 pivotally mounted on the tubular casing 3Q.

invention also contemplates an improved form of toot-rest, which own particularly in Figs. 5 to S, inclusive, and it comprises a. pair ot supporting side trames let, 4% which extend downwardly from the seat 1. and terminate in horizontal portions t5 and 4-6. A plate 47 is mounted on the horizontal portions and 46 of the side frames &4, 4A, and constitutes the stationary portion l8 of my toot-rest. A movable portion 49 of the foot-rest may comprise plate 50 which is pivot-ally supported by arms 51 on a rod 59. secured in the horizontal side frames 15 and 46 directly beneath the plate The extreme ends of the side frames &5 and. serve to support the movable toot portion 19 in its lowered and horizontal positions, will appear hereinafter.

in order to raise and lower the pivoted t'cot rest portion 49, I provide an actuating lever 53 which is mounted on the pivot rod and resiliently connected thereto by means of a spring 5s said spring operating to retain esiliently the actuating lever in the her zlontal position shown in Fig. 1 of the drawing. he actuating); lever 53 comprises an arm 55, which extends to one side of the horizontal side trarne 15 and terminates in a foot pedal A second arm 5'? oil the lever 53 extends parallel to the side frame portion 153 and terminates directly below a rod 55% which is rotatably supported by pins 55) ad- ;ins l secured in lugs (30 depending; from the under side ot the movable plate 50.

The inner sides of the horizontal side frame portions elti and to immediately adjacentto the rod are provided with longitudinally extending slots G1 which terminate in recessed port-ions The rod 58 is provided on opposite ends with arms or lociing; levers 63, es, portions (it or which are slidably disposed on the slots 61. The latter thus constitute tracks for the locking levers ($3, Similar results may be obtained by providing the horizontal frame portions 15 and 416 with ribs rather than the slots 61. An arm (35 extends from one side of the rod 58 to provide a hearing point 66 (Fig. '4") which is oti set with respect to the point of support of the rod 58. The length of the arm is such that it ust engages the end of the actuating arm 57 of the lever 53 when the movable toot-restportion 49 is in its lowered or horizontal position shown in Fig. 1.

lVhen a force is applied to the toot pedal 56, a corresponding force is exerted on the arm 65, and since the bearing point 66 is disposed to one side of the supporting point of the rod 58, the end portions Get ot the arms 63 are caused to engage positively the lower surface oil the slots 62. The continued application o't said force to the toot pedal 56 causes the raising ot the toot-rest portion d9 about the pivot rod until the end portions (it. o t the locking; lovers 63 are positively actuated into the locking recesses 62, thereby locking the pivoted. toot-rest portion 19 in the raised position shown in Fig. 7. W hen the force on the toot pedal 56 is released. the actuating lever 53 is moved into its original. horizontal. position under the force of the spring 5 1.

In order to release the pivoted foot-rest portion 49 from the locked position shown in Figs. 1 and 6 by again pressing the foot lill) pedal 56, I provide an arm (37 which extends from the movable rod 58 in a direction opposite to that of the arm (35. A latch member 68 (Fig. 8) is secured to the end of the arm 67 by means of a pin 69 so as to permit the mounting of a spring 71 between the latch 68 and the arm 67. The ends of the spring '71 extend beyond an abutment 72 on the arm 67 and engage opposite sides of a pin 73 on the end of the latch 68, whereb movement of the latch 68 in either direction from a cen tral position is resiliently resisted.

The length of the latch 68 with respect to the oppositely extending arm 65 is such that when the actuating arm 57 is again raised in accordance with the depression of the foot pedal 56, the latch (38 first engages the arm 57 rather than the arm A recess H formed in the end of the actuating arm 57 at the point of contact with the latch 68, whereby the latter may be secured in position.

As the actuating arm 57 is further raised, the latch (38 is caused to exert a force on the arm 67, with the result that the pivot rod 58 so turned as to actuate the ends (it of the locking levers 63 out oi engagement with the locking recesses \Vhen the levers 63 have been thus released, the movable toot-restportion may be lowered by releasing the force on the foot pedal 56. As the "foot-rest portion 419 is lowered, the end of the arm 65 engages the end of the actuating arm 57, there by moving the load from the latch 68 to the arm 65 and permitting the latch 68 to move out of engagement with the actuating arm 57. lVhen the foot-rest portion 49 is coinpletel y lowered, the operating mechanism assumes the positions shown in Fig. 5.

'hile I have shown only one form of embodiment of my invention, for the purpose of describing the same and illustrating its principles of construction and operation, it

apparent that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon, as are indicated in the appended claims or as are demanded by the prior art.

I claim:

1. In a chair, a back structure comprising a member having a pair of arms, and a member constituting a back rest so mounted on said arms as to have a floating movement,

permitting the same to accommodate itself automatically to the back of an occupant of i the chair, one of said members having a recess the other member extending into said recess, whereby the extent of said floating movement may be controlled. 7

2. In a dental chair, a back structure comprising a movable member having a pair of supporting arms, and a back pad pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof on said arms, whereby said back pad may automatically accommodate itself to the back of an occupant of the chair, an upper end of said member having a recess, said back pad having a shoulder extending into said recess, whereby the extent of movement of said back pad may be limited.

ADOLPH W. SCHRAMM. 

